COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTIONLong enough ago, all beer would’ve been brownish because of the difficulty of drying the malted grain without darkening it. Same was true in America until the fancy-pants German immigrant brewers started brewing pale lagers which eventually took over. Thankfully, American homebrewers and a few bold craft brewers like us have revived American Brown Ale for your pleasure. Malty, caramelly, tart and toasty, earthy and citrusy, with delicious hints of bitter chocolate and dark roasted coffee.

Y’know that story about the hypocrite who tattled to President Abraham Lincoln about General Grant’s drinking? Ol’ Abe answered, “Well, find out what he’s drinking so I can send a barrel to every general in the army.” We’re pretty sure Grant was drinking The Civil Life American Brown.

On tap @ The Civil Life. Brown in color with an off-white head. Nose of roasted malt, cocoa powder, and coffee. Quite earthy and a touch spicy. Sort of bittersweet on the palate. Roast, burnt nuts, chocolate, and earthy hops. A little bit of grass. Good toffee and molasses as well.

UPDATED: JUN 26, 2014 Draft… RBSG 2014... Hazy dark-brown pour with mahogany highlights and a brief, white head. The aroma is loaded with coffee and provides just enough chocolate to create an excellent mocha character. Full-bodied with tickling carbonation. The flavor is rich and roasty with heaps of hearty mocha and a slight caramel component. Lengthy coffee finish with a light kiss of butterscotch in the aftertaste.

Pour on tap at the brewery, dark reddish brown pour with off white head, aroma brought notes of caramel, toffee, nuts, grass, herbal hops into a bit of earthy notes, some red fruits. Taste is a mix of earth, grass, into some caramel, toast, some yeast with a hint of red fruit, slight nutty note, finishing bitter.

Sampled from the tap at the brewery. Pours a murky brown with a slight red hue and a white head that dissipates to the edges. Aroma has a bit of musty grain with light roast and a touch of toffee. Flavor has earthy chocolate and dark grain with just a bit of roast.

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